Lifeblood
by chipped-nails
Summary: Finally Bella's life seems normal, as normal as it gets when you are a vampire. Her family is now safe, and she feels complete. Yet two strangers arrive bringing an unprecedented danger - but how can she not help? Will she risk everything to help them?
1. Chapter 1

**Part One:**

**Life**

Prologue: Heaven

I never really thought too much about the possibility of heaven. I never thought there would be such a place, or maybe just didn't know what heaven was. When I was very young living in Phoenix I met an old black woman at church one Sunday (the only Sunday I ever went to church) I faintly remember her etched face and weary smile – my human memories are ever so faded. She tried to explain to me what heaven was. We finally came to the conclusion that it was a place of love. A place where you could give love and in returned received love. A place where you were surrounded by the people you loved. A place where the only want the; only need was love.

I found that place.

Well something very close.

Edward.

He is my heaven, my earth. He is the breath in my lungs, the light in my eyes, the laughter that trilled from my throat. He is my heroin, my hit, my addiction, my escape from reality. He is my husband, my soul mate. He is my night, my day, my moon, my sun. He is my life. Without him I am nothing. With him I am everything, because he is everything.

Lying on the grassy meadow outside of the Cullen's large white house, our house, just outside the town of forks in Washington I let my eyes roam over Edwards perfect form. He lay, eyes closed next to me, still as a stone. To anyone watching he would appear asleep, but I knew better. I knew he never slept, because I didn't either. Turning on my side it was easier to look at his complete, perfect form. His tousled hair, his angelic face, his carved marble body still took my breath away any time I looked for too long. I examined his hands, so delicate yet so strong, I wanted them to touch me, to caress me. His arms so lean yet so impenetrable I wanted them to engulf me, never letting go. His lips, his cold hard lips that could execute the softest most delicate kisses that would flutter across my eyes, my cheeks, my neck, my jaw, my body and finally rest, full bodied on my lips where they would linger. At this point I would feel dizzy from ecstasy. I wanted to feel them on my lips instantly but I didn't want to disturb is blissful peace. So I continued to watch him. I was watching him for timeless minutes, perhaps hours I wasn't sure. I could watch him forever and never get bored or tired of what I saw.

The sun began peaking through the cloud cover. Rays beamed down on his paler than pale skin and then suddenly it came to life, his skin shone like diamonds and the breath caught in my throat. I couldn't breath. Good thing I didn't need to breath. Hearing my breathing stop he opened his eyes and turned to me. They were liquid gold, soothing and intoxicating. His brow formed a frown.

"Babe what is the matter?" he said looking with puzzlement at my face. At that moment, I remembered to breath. He remained like a dazzling diamond in the sunlight. I smiled at him and he knew.

"I really thought when you made me like you all this silliness would stop," I said in my sing-song voice, I was still trying to get used to it.

"How do you mean?" he asked giving me a crooked smile that made my insides melt, he was laughing at me a could tell. I shifted my eyes from his face to my hands that lay in front of me, my skin sparkling like Edwards, although in my mind not nearly as beautiful.

"Well I thought I would be able to look at you without falling to pieces, but it seems nothing will ever change," I said looking into his eyes again, I could see the laughter building up in his eyes, "I am still _amazed_ by you, you take my breath away," literally, I added in my head. He let out a quiet chuckle and turned to me. He opened his arms and gladly I crawled into them nestling against his marble chest, his arms fit perfectly around my form as the locked in place. We became one sparkling form, entwined on the lush green spring grass. He kissed my head and began a stroking my arm; his fingers no longer cool against my skin, but comfortable and warm, the same temperature as my own.

"Bella, Bella, Bella. My love, my life, my heart, if it weren't for perfect self-discipline I would never breathe, if I were human I would die from one look at you. Not only would I forget to breathe, but my heart would stop beating. You _amaze me_," He murmured into my hair kissing it again and again.

Shifting slightly so my face was in front of his and ever so gently placed my lips against his. He returned with equal gentleness, I heard a slight moan escape from his mouth. It was not a moan of need, of sadness, but of bliss. He was delighted and perfectly content, he was purring.

"I love you," I whispered opening my own topaz eyes to gaze into his gold ones.

"I love you," he whispered back and his kissed me again with a little bit more force and I let him. I let him kiss me for a long time. His arms around me tightened as my arms wound around him. He drew his lips away for a moment and looked at me with emotion spilling from his eyes.

"I love you so much," he whispered his voice breaking. I smiled and kissed him again. Vampire emotions were so much stronger than human emotions, they were all consuming. I had come to realise that within our rather strange family each couple shared one emotion that was stronger than anything else, an emotion that bound them so tightly together they would never be separated. Carlisle and Esme were compassion, Rosalie and Emmett were passion, Alice and Jasper were contentment and strength, and Edward and I were love; blinding, painful, all encompassing love. Perhaps it was because we had almost lost each other so many times, perhaps it was because we were married with a child, perhaps it was because we were both vampires and our relationship was so unbreakably strong, but nothing ever would or ever could break the bond between Edward and I. Our love exceeded all others.

He is my body, my mind, my heart, and my soul. He is my lifeblood, with out him I could not exist. He is my other half. Without him I am incomplete, a moment away feels like eternity. Without him I would be an empty shell, without him I wouldn't survive.

He is my life

He is my earth.

He is my heaven.

Edward is heaven.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part One:**

**Life**

Chapter One: Sunday

Sunday was Edward and my day. Every Sunday Jacob (a werewolf who just happened to imprint on my daughter and who just happened to be my best friend) came and took Nessie (my rapidly growing half-human half-vampire daughter) down to La Push to play on the beach.

With a kiss on her unnaturally warm forehead and a stroke of her shiny curly hair Nessie turned to begin walking from me into Jacob's arms. Before she walked away however, her small form perfect and charming, turned and she touched my face filling my head with images indicating she would miss me, her special talent penetrating my shield.

"Do not worry baby, I will be here to pick you up and you always have such fun with Jacob," I whispered to her. She smiled showing her gleaming white teeth and touched my face again telling me she was happy to go, nevertheless she would miss me. I kissed her again and in an instant was on the other side of the boundary line with Jacob running into his open arms. Jacob waved goodbye to me as he carried my daughter away from me.

It had been over ten months since the Volturi had come to our home with the intent of destroying my daughter and the majority of my family. It had been peace, blissful peace. As a family (the Cullen family) we had not encountered many if any disturbances to our perfect life. Well, aside from the fact I had to deal with my mother at one stage and explain to both my parents that at this point in my life I had no intention of going to college – a small personal challenge. Edward was not impressed either – a very large personal challenge (although how he could ever fathom I would leave him or my daughter behind was beyond me). It took considerable persuasion (especially with Edward – I wish I could read his mind sometimes) yet eventually they all relented and accepted my decision.

As a whole we had built a perfect world. Edward, Reneesme and I lived in our fairy tale land deep in the forest. It was our escape from the big house, our sanctuary. It was my little slice of heaven with my two angels. I passed the newborn stage of vampire development before it had ever really started and just continued with life as normal (well in a way). I watched my beautiful baby girl change and grow, her growth patterns slowing considerably much to Edwards and my pleasure. She was to be a child for so much longer and for that we were thankful, I wanted to keep her small forever. We continued to fit into human society secretly and inconspicuously.

Jacob had become a strong part of our family as well, his connection with Reneesme never once faulting. He was with her every other day, and when he wasn't he would call and whine and complain begging to come see her. I tried to explain to him that just for once Edward and I would like to spend some _family_ time with out daughter, alone. The biggest problem was that with the mention of Jacob's name our ever observant daughter would begin bouncing (literally) off the walls with joy so it became harder and harder to refuse his visits. Finally an agreement had been reached that Saturday Edward and I were allowed Reneesme _all to ourselves_ whilst Sunday she was all Jacob's. His initial reaction was laced with slight displeasure but he eventually agreed.

It was hard trying to explain to him that he did in fact have a life outside my daughter. He had school, he had a family, he had friends, in fact he had a pack of wolves who deserved his time as well. He retorted saying that there was life outside Edward. Saying I had a family, I had friends that I needed to give some attention to. I ignored him, Edward was my family, he was my life.

This present Sunday just happened to be our one-year wedding anniversary. Being the way I was, completely adverse to celebrations, anniversaries or events of any kind I had been avoiding the subject for many weeks, hoping Edward would forget and we could just go about our Sunday the way we always did; a bit of a hunt, relief, conversation, gazing at each other… However, Edward being Edward did not forget, he never forgot and insisted that we celebrate. I told him you didn't celebrate _one_ year of marriage you celebrated _ten _years of marriage. He just laughed and kissed me.

It was not that I wasn't happy being married for one year and that indeed it did deserve celebrating (we didn't think we would live this far) it was just I knew Edward. It was not going to pleasant on my behalf especially if Alice had anything to do with it. I had told him I would play nice for the space of the four hours that Jacob had Reneesme, he smiled and agreed – although knowing him he would twist it some way or another.

I stood at the boundary line listening intently for the sound of Jacobs footsteps disappearing, hearing him laughing and making my daughter laugh. I smiled and listened a little while longer until their voices died out, they must be very close to the beach now. I stood feeling the cool breeze pass my icy skin, hearing all the sounds of the woods, smelling everything around me. Contemplating whether or not I should return to my husband, desperately wanting to escape any form of celebrations a rather tantalizing lion smell passed under my nose but then the sweetest, most irresistible smell made its way to me.

It was a smell I knew ever so well. I didn't even turn around, slowly feeling a pair of strong arms wind their way around my waist holding me close; never close enough. Placing my own arms around his I moaned causing a little chuckle to escape his lips.

Kissing my neck lightly he began murmuring and whispering in my ears interrupting sentences with soft fluttering kisses on my neck. He was driving me insane.

"Not going back on our deal are you?" he said his lips brushing my ear as he spoke, "Only four hours, and it isn't even torturous," he added with an ever so slight edge to his voice, I began to feel guilty for considering running away. I shifted in his arms swivelling around to face him. Edward's beautiful face was so close to mine, I could see the different shades of gold in his warm, liquid eyes.

"My love, I could never go through with it," I whispered, as much as I wanted to run I couldn't be apart from him for more than an hour or so. He bent down and kissed me on the lips. I was addicted to him, to his kisses, to his embrace, to his love.

"Happy anniversary," he whispered into my mouth kissing me lightly again. My head was spinning, his scent intoxicating. I really did need to learn to get a hold of myself whenever he touched me. Or spoke to me. Or looked at me. Or breathed near me. I moaned again into his mouth, he chuckled again.

"Come now wife, let me celebrate my love for you," he said scooping me up into his arms, cradling me to his chest. We ran into the woods, away from the boundary line eventually coming to a small clearing where our small cottage stood. Skilfully opening the iron, vine covered gate with one hand and carrying me with the other he took me up the stone path to the front door. Once again performing the balancing act with ease and skill he opened the front door and led me in.

The first thing I noticed was the strong, overpowering smell of roses, red roses. From there I noticed that all the curtains had been drawn and all the lights switched off. Instead, assumingly while I was out, Edward had placed candles around the whole house leaving us in dim, romantic lighting. The floor on which he now placed me was covered with red rose petals with bunches all around on the shelves and in other nooks and crannies. Walking further down into our bedroom I saw that much of the same thing took place here, if not more. I let my eyes wander around; this was almost _sickening_ to the un-romantic un-celebratory type, me. And then to top it up there was a small pile of blue and silver wrapped presents on the bed. My surprised turned to shock, to horror. I hated presents – and compared to my single present for Edward, this small mound was terrifying.

I composed myself before turning around, preparing to lie. Edward's face was filled with such expectant joy wanting me to love everything he had done that I could not help but feel happy. I smiled genuinely, his effort and his expression were enough for me. I held out my arms and he came towards me, my favourite crooked smile on his face.

"I love you so very much," I whispered kissing him gently then pulling back slightly added, "Thank you, this is perfect," He leaned in and kissed me. And it was perfect. Him and me; together forever, in our own perfect little world.


End file.
